The God Gene

Why do we humans migrate to a religious explanation of things?  What is it about the God concept that has drawn us inexorably along, through all human history?  Why are we compelled to ascribe to a God the powers that inform and define our daily lives?  Do we really have a God gene?  This question can't begin to be explored, much less explained in a simple blog.  Thousands upon thousands of books, pamphlets, magazines, speeches, theses and documents are devoted to this too human of questions.  Whole libraries are constructed around this single proposition. 

But here's one thing that appears true and ageless: We do believe in a power more lofty than our own, an entity that seems to order us in some timeless fashion as our lives unfold, and such things as wisdom and grace are revealed.  So here's the real question.  If religion is, at it's been speculated to be, a response in human nature designed to protect and benefit the species by raising the value of collective altruistic behavior, then what of those who use religion to separate and divide us?  Specifically, why do certain so-called religious individuals seem intent on damaging the thin veneer of human social bonding by demanding the exclusion of certain members?  Is this not contrary to the fundamental impulse to gather together that our religious DNA demands?  Further, what of those ordained by us to promote and defend the genetic trait of religion found in all of us?  What are we to believe when those whom we label 'ministers', individuals sanctioned to ad-minister the genetic guidance our religions provide endorse such exclusionary behaviors?  Are they not acting against their own stated sacred oaths and responsibilities?  If religion is imprinted in the human soul and mind as a refuge against earthly vicissitudes, are we not obligated to widen our vision, and accept as many of our brethren as possible, in order to strengthen the barrier holding back certain chaos?  And for those charlatans who claim that God, any god, hates His own creation, what are we to make of them? 

The Key

Medical technology has come a long way in a very short time.  In my lifetime, the science of cardiac care has progressed to the point that now, every day, surgeons routinely probe inside the beating heart, manipulate vital nerve connections, burn away unneeded tissue to make hearts more efficient, and even stop hearts in their pumping long enough to repair damage.  There seems to be no mystery any longer with or about the human heart.

Except one.  What makes it so inexplicably difficult to understand why our hearts are drawn to those we fall in love with?  After all the years of study, the time in laboratories and classrooms, in operating rooms and using advanced procedures, why can we not assign even the simplest explanation to why we fall in love?  Here's a key to the dilemma, and an insight that really does explain, from a layman's view, the inner working of the human heart:  Hearts have no color, no creed, no race, ethnicity, gender orientation or nationality.  The human heart is, with few exceptions, about the size of our fist, weighs two pounds, pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood every day, and continues in this fashion for well over 70 years, on average.  In that time the heart beats an astounding 2.5 billion times!  Yes, billion. 

So why does it beat faster when that certain person enters the room, or smiles at us, or falls into our arms?  We don't know.  Science is working on it.  One thing we do know: There's no restriction on who we fall in love with.  And something else--as Carson McCullers said, the heart is indeed a lonely hunter, so the answer to one question is immediately clear.  We fall in love with the person we fall in love with.  No one else can assign, determine, restrict or predict who that person might or ought to be for us.  When someone comes along with the key to our heart, we know it.  And something else even scientists and doctors know.  It's not important who we love; it's important THAT we love.

Marriage Clarifies Comittment

Happy Couples...

...are able to magically ignore the laws of physics, and enjoy a world where each party can and does win.  Love knows no boundaries. 

Oppo-Tunity

We've been here before, and we will be again.  Once in a while an oppo-tunity presents itself, a chance to step back, take a deep breath, and look at where we are and where we're going.  Here's our proposal: Is it really necessary for us to react so quickly and so emotionally to whatever is shown on nightly news or headlined on Fox, CNN, Huff Post or other media outlet?  No, it isn't.  Yes, the news cycle these days can be measured with an egg timer, but that doesn't demand that we react accordingly. 

Here's the oppo-tunity, and in a bit we'll explain why we spell it that way.  We think this holiday season we should all make an effort to default to kind, to ignore obviously inflammatory pronouncements, and to use the 48 hour rule as much as possible, which means waiting to react and make durable decisions.  So, why the odd spelling?  Someone gave us a wise saying once--"Emotion high; Intelligence low."  And it's true.  Any time we react emotionally and lash out, our decision is automatically diminished.  If we look at oppo-tunity, we see the misspelling.  But if we take a moment, we see instead the opportunity we might have missed. 

Equality Through Music

Tomorrow, December 2nd 2009, we offer a house concert, with featured artist Tom Goss.  Tom is on his second national tour, performing in front of intimate audiences in a new venue idea, people's homes.  Like troubadours of old, Tom packs his guitar, his enthusiasm and his music and hits the road.  If you always wanted to host an artist, and possibly help launch the next Tracey Chapman, Susan Boyle or Lady Gaga, here's your chance.